In this film, I explore the complex nature of the self, focusing on how it can be
deconstructed, reconstructed, and transformed. This film uses a combination of video and
physically layered animation to create a yin and yang of impermanence and the self. Using nature-inspired materials like petals, insects, and decaying matter, the collages reflect the qualities of both the self and its impermanence. The narrative follows a central character, the “flower lady,” who begins in an industrial landscape, a setting that embodies the illusion of permanence and fixed identity. Her transition to a natural environment represents her gradual release from fixed notions of self.
This is a conceptual extension of my collage animation film, which explored
the transformational nature of Buddhist concepts such as impermanence and non-self. To
further develop these ideas of transformation and oneness, I created a circular film reel-style
photograph that narrates the storyline of the video in sequential order. To enhance the piece
further, I incorporated text from The Heart of the Buddha’s Teachings by Thich Nhat Hanh, the
book that initially inspired the film.